Rights groups demand Climate Commission

They expressed deep concerns and frustration over the outcome of CoP22, observing that the conference had failed to meet the core demands from the Least Development Courtiers (LVC) and Most Vulnerable Countries (MVC) regarding reduction of carbon emissions and the raising of funds. The group of eight networks also added that there had been no firm discussion about the implementation of the Paris Climate Agreement. Rezaul Karim Chowdhury of EquityBd moderated the press conference, while Mustafa Kamal Akand gave the welcome speech.  Mr Qumrul Chowdhury of FEJB, Syad Aminul Haque of EquityBD, Pradip Kumar Roy of CSRL and Md. Mujibul Haque Munir of EquityBD also spoke at the press conference. The group further demanded that a separate commission should be responsible for dealing with foreign and international bodies, as opposed to going through the ministry of Environment and Forest. Syaed Aminul Haque pointed out that the lack of civil society representatives with the government party at this year’s conference may have played a role in the unsatisfactory outcome of the summit. While two senior civil society members had attended the previous summit, the government did not take any external representatives this year. Speakers were roundly critical of both the ruling and opposition political parties. According to Md. Mujibul Haque Munir, Developed nations were reluctant to acknowledge their responsibility towards climate vulnerable countries, and the issue regarding the $100 billion annual funding was still unresolved. Out of eight items on the agenda the CoP22 conference agreed on only one, he added with frustration.